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Video Poker for Beginners

Video poker is perhaps the only casino game that offers an ordinary player realistic odds of winning. Video poker is a combination of both luck and skill, but with excellent strategies and techniques you can shift the odds of winning in your favor. If you love both poker and slots, then you will also love video poker. Video poker doesn't require as much skill as poker yet is as easy as playing the slot machines.

If you're just starting out in video poker or if you're interested about playing this exciting game, you should first realize that while video poker can let you win a lot more times than traditional slot machines, the fact is that only 21% of hands dealt come out as winners. That's a mere one-fifth of all hands. To succeed in video poker, you should know what to do with the remaining 79% and transform them into winning hands.

First you have to find the best video poker machine with the highest payout rates, specifically machines that pay 9 for a full house and 6 for a flush win. You should also look for machines with small bet amounts and gradually move on to higher bet machines once you have become more comfortable and skillful in playing. Bide your time and be patient when playing. Remember that you are playing against a machine, not a human being, so you should not be embarrassed or ashamed of taking more time to read the hand you've been dealt.

You should also realize that the jack, not the ace, is the most important card in video poker, giving you far better hands than the ace.

There are a few important strategies for winning in video poker. One is to avoid holding a kicker with your pair since this can minimize the payoff by 5%. Avoid breaking a flush in order to draw a straight flush and always break a flush so you can draw royal flush. Avoid drawing four cards if you can draw three cards with a royal flush, and avoid drawing five if you have jacks or better.

These strategies will give you a headstart in playing video poker, but remember to take advantage of available free games in the Internet so you can practice and gain more experience. Don't rely on luck in trying to win in video poker, as luck is a poor substitute for preparation. Continue practicing, read all you can about video poker strategies and apply them to your game. Video poker can be a profitable activity if you have the skills and experience to win consistently.